Externship Art Institute and Blue Bug Graphic Design

Externship Art Institute and Blue Bug Graphic Design By Suzanne Dean Graphic Arts Teacher

Dates of Externship • Art Institute – Orange County – 2/2/09 – 2/25/09 – 4/28/09 • Blue Bug Graphic Design – 4/6/09 – 4/7/09

Industry Professionals • Jenny Gonzalez – Director of Career Services • Tricia Cook – Public Relations • Julia Wolf – Blue Bug Graphic Design

What is a Graphic Designer?

Graphic Designers • These individuals use the computer screen as their canvas. • They manipulate scanned photographs, or render images from scratch. • Many use a combination of techniques to provide solutions to a concepts.

Graphic Designers • The end result is usually a computer file that can be used for – Print – Web – Multimedia projects

Graphic Designers • Skills – Grasp of software (Quark, Photoshop, Illustrator) – Diverse page layout experience – Able to design without a computer – Strong concepting abilities

Stages of a Graphic Designer’s Career Path

Career Path: Graphic Design • Entry Level – Grasp of software (Qwark, Photoshop, Illustrator) – Diverse page layout experience – Able to design without a computer – Strong concepting abilities

Mid-Career Employment • • Art Director Senior Designer Production Manager Project Manager

Pinnacle of Career • Creative Director • VP Creative Services • Director of Design

Sample Careers Available in Graphic Design

Junior Graphic Designer • Required skills – Good general graphic design skills – Basic digital retouching – Basic production skills and computer generation – Familiar with the printing process – Generally 0 -2 years of experience

Junior Graphic Designer • Education – An Associates degree or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design or a related field

Junior Graphic Designer • Skills: – Photoshop – Illustrator or Freehand – Quark XPress:

Production Artist • Has a working understanding of – Layout – Type – Color

Production Artist • Is able to take instructions from a designer on a complete layout, working proficiently in – Quark XPress – Page. Maker – Photoshop – Illustrator – Freehand

Production Artist • Responsibilities include producing final files that image properly to film. • Prepress experience is vital • Ability to prepare files for – Output – Scanning – Color Correction

Presentation Specialist • General graphic design skills are needed • Generally provide support within a company producing – Low budget pamphlets – Brochures – Flyers and presentations

Presentation Specialist • Creation of basic graphics, charts and graphs • Clip art is generally used with limited usage of – Photoshop – Illustrator – Freehand

Desktop Publisher/Presentation Specialists • General graphic design skills are needed • Generally provide support within a company producing low budget pamphlets, brochures, flyers and presentations that are printed via a laser or inkjet printer for limited circulation

Desktop Publisher/Presentation Specialist • Skills and tools used for basic graphics, charts and graphs: – Clip art – Limited use of Photoshop and Illustrator of Freehand

Desktop Publisher/Presentation Specialist • Applications: – MS Word – Quark XPress – Page. Maker – Corel. Draw – Power. Point • Extensive skills enable a more seasoned candidate to produce animated, slide show presentations.

Mid-Level Graphic Designer • In addition to the requirements for Junior Graphic Designer: – Drawing skills – Experience with layout, typography, and have a solid grasp of design trends – Prepress experience – Time management skills

Mid-Level Graphic Designer • Application Skills: – Advanced knowledge in • • Photoshop Illustrator Quark XPress Possibly Page Maker and Power Point

Mid-Level Graphic Designer • Educational and professional experience – BA of Fine Arts in Graphic Design or related field – A minimum of 2 years experience in the field

Senior Graphic Designer • The individual should possess all the requirements for Junior and Mid-Level Graphic Design and should be experienced in client relations

Senior Graphic Designer • The individual could have management responsibilities working in tandem with an Art or Creative Director

Senior Graphic Designer • Experience and Skills – Brainstorming and conceptualizing – Being able to translate ideas into storyboard format – Understands projects on a tactical level with basic supervision – Project coordination skills – Efficient at handling multiple projects at the same time

Senior Graphic Designer • Expert Knowledge in the following: – Photoshop – Illustrator or Freehand – Quark XPress • Moderate knowledge in – Page. Maker and Power. Point

Information about the Art Institute – Orange County

Admissions • All programs (except for Game and Design) simply require students to have a high school diploma or equivalent and have an interest in the arts. • The Game and Design program requires a portfolio

Length of Career Preparation • The bachelor’s degree program is a 3 year program. • An associates degree may be obtained in 18 months.

Career Placement • 90% of students are placed in jobs. • The school finds jobs for students as soon as they enter orientation. – The first job may not be in the graphics career field. – Students will gain experience and later be placed in their career fields.

Job Fair • During the third week of the first quarter, there is one of the following: – Job Fair – Pizza with the Pros • During all of the various job fairs, students might expect to meet over 200 people in their field

Orientation Class • During the first quarter, students attend an orientation class. – One segment is career services • Students learn how to bill clients • When they are career eligible • Resume writing

Career Development • During the 5 th – 7 th quarters, students take a class on career development. – Students continue to work on • Resumes • Cover letters • Mock interviews